[Buddha-l] the 22 vows

[curt]

Is there some assumption that these poor devils are incapable of 
understanding such a complex concept as religious tolerance?? Dalit 
Buddhists have not always renounced Hinduism in this sectarian way. In 
the early days of the modern Buddhist revival in India, Buddhists in 
India were more likely to claim that Buddhism and Hinduism were both 
parts of the Sanatana Dharma, and Dalit Buddhists allied themselves with 
anti-caste Hindus, such as the Arya Samaj. People like Olcott and Carus 
were directly involved in this early stage of the movement.

I don't know the full story - and I imagine there are multiple versions, 
but for whatever reason Ambedkar insisted on the rabidly anti-Hindu 
stance that today characterizes his wing of the movement.

The origins of the modern Buddhist revival in India are largely due to 
the work of Anagarika Dharmapala, whose Maha Bodhi Society encouraged 
both Buddhists and Hindus to see their religions as vital parts of 
India's rich cultural heritage. As far as I can tell, to this day the 
Maha Bodhi society promotes the revival of Buddhism in India without any 
need to resort to bombastic sectarianism.

Personally I can see no convincing reason to turn a blind eye to this. I 
mean one could see specifically renouncing the caste system. One could 
easily see calling the caste system a perversion of the true spirit of 
Hinduism and of the Sanatana Dharma. But to go out of one's way, over 
and over again - to list specific Gods and practices one by one - and 
then to add that ALL other religions must also be renounced for the one 
true religion of Buddhism??????? And all this while there are others 
active in India promoting the revival of Buddhism in a completely 
non-sectarian way, too.

Finally, where people wish to see an alleviation of suffering, they can 
easily see it.

- Curt

Franz Metcalf wrote:
> Gang,
>
> I can well understand (or at least I *think* I can, being the white 
> Anglo-Saxon Protestant-Buddhist male that I am) how Dalits would 
> desperately want to repudiate the strictures that traditional Hinduism 
> imposes on them in India. But--no matter how oppressed the Dalits 
> are--my particular sect of Protestant Buddhism just won't let me 
> accept or support their calling the Hindu appropriation of Buddha 
> "sheer madness and false propaganda." Sounds like something 
> Christopher Hitchens would say. I enjoy listening to Hitchens as much 
> as the next person, but such words are not sammā vacā. And now Sherab 
> tells us they believe in some kind of atman as well?
>
> It bothers me that Buddhism in the land of the Buddha should at last 
> be reborn... and should be reborn like this. Yet I trust Sherab and 
> Joanna--who have seen this living Buddhism--if they say it reduces 
> suffering. That is the bottom line; I should let go of my dogmatism. 
> Ah, those stubborn Protestant roots!
>
> Franz
>
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